2 Editor’s Message This is not a journalistic venture but an academic one designed to handhold keen and sincere UPSC aspirants. We do not claim this to be yet another surrogate window to the world. We are sure, nevertheless, that you would find this venture novel as well as useful. www.amritaias.com | [email protected] | +91 85890 60000 3 In This Issue Sl. Topic GS Page No. Paper No. 1. India Needs Smart Urbanisation I & III 4 2. Changing Dimensions of Globalisation I & II 12 3. Issue of Triple Talaq I & II 18 4. Interlinking of Rivers I & III 23 5. How India Should Close the Financial Gender Gap I, II & III 29 6. Kerala Floods: Need for a Relook on Fate of Western Ghats I & III 34 7. Iran-India Relations II 39 8. Recent Development in USA-India Relations II 48 9. Constitutional Status to National Commission for Backward Classes II 55 10. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atroc- II 60 ities) Act, 1989 Amendment 11. Representation of People (Amendment) Act, 2017 II 65 12. Rejuvenating the System for Skill Development II 74 13. Australia Recommence its Adoption Programme with India II 84 14. Arbitration & Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018 II 91 15. RCEP And Challnges for India II 96 16. Digital Payment Ecosystem snd its Problems II & III 101 17. Impact of the Falling Rupee on Economy II & III 107 18. CAG’s Reports on Railways II & III 114 19. National Water Ways Projects II & III 121 20. E-governance Initiatives II & IV 126 21. Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 II & IV 133 22. Food Processing Related Issues III 142 23. Military Reforms in India III 148 24. Climate Resiliant Economy and Green Financing III 156 25. Zero Budget Natural Farming III 165 26. Private Manufacturing of Oxytocin III 176 27. Block Chain Technology III 179 28. Reforming Indian Agriculture III 185 29. A Long-term Strategy to Reduce Crude Imports III 193 30. Bio-fuels and Biofuel Policy III 199 31. Cabinet Relaxes New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) III 205 www.amritaias.com | [email protected] | +91 85890 60000 4 INDIA NEEDS SMART URBANISATION 1 [GS-I & GS-III] Context • Residents of Bhavanpur, a village about 15 km out- side Ahmedabad, have been protesting against their inclusion in the city’s urban area by the local urban development authority. • Similar protests have been observed in villages else- where in Gujarat. It’s a strange trend, the fruits of urban development seemingly rejected. • Meanwhile, pollution in India’s urban areas seems to have sparked off a reverse migration. • Farmers from Haryana who had migrated to Delhi and Gurugram for work to escape an agricultural cri- sis are increasingly going back to their farms during winter, unable to take the toxic pollution. And it’s not just big cities. Major causes of urbanization • Industrial revolution: Industrial employment catches the atten- tion of people. • Emergence of large manufacturing centres. • Job opportunities: There are ample job opportunities in mega cities. • Availability of transportation: Due to easy transport, people prefer to stay in big cities. • Migration: Migration is main cause for rapid growth of me- ga-cities. • Infrastructure facilities in the urban areas. www.amritaias.com | [email protected] | +91 85890 60000 5 • Growth of private sector. • Political, social and cultural influences. Urbanisation problems • Unemployment and under employment • Shortage of residential housing: slums and vulnerable to disas- ters. • Poverty: causes malnutrition and illness, especially on women and children • Competition on limited resources: dependency on suburban areas and nearby rural areas. • Sanitation: inadequate for sewage facilities, poor sanitation and contamination of water resources. • Epidemics: poor sanitation led to unhealthy environment. • Pollution problem: Air, Water, Noise and Soil • Transportation: poor transport system, road congestion, stress and limited number of public transport. • Social vices:poverty, lack of opportunities, psychological prob- lems, theft, rape, alcoholism, drugs, crime, violence and other Urban Population profile-India: • About 34% of India’s population now lives in urban areas, the UN urbanisation prospects 2018 report. • India’s current population grow at 3% since 2011. More impor- tantly, while existing large urban agglomerations (those with a population above 50 lakh) have remained mostly constant in number since 2005; smaller clusters have risen significantly (from 34 to 50 clusters with 10-50 lakh population). • By some estimates, India’s urban population could increase to 814 million by 2050. And yet, cities look and feel downtrodden, raven with poverty and poor infrastructure, with little sem- blance of urban planning. • With an increase in urban population will come rising demands www.amritaias.com | [email protected] | +91 85890 60000 6 for basic services such as clean water, public transportation, sewage treatment and housing. Factors that determine urban development • Population density • Density of physical development • Possession of formal plan • Proportion of the inhabitants engaging in non-agricultural oc- cupation • Functional characters like centres of trade, commerce, learn- ing, tourism, technology etc.. • Number and range of services • Administrative, legal or political criteria • Lifestyle of the people Urban Development - Historical flaws • Our cities have been witnessing to multiple transitions over the last century, with barely any time to recover and adapt. • The British creation of three metropolitan port cities, com- bined with the rollout of the railway network, transformed India’s urban landscape, relegating erstwhile prominent Mu- ghal-era towns such as Surat and Patna into provincial back- waters. • The creation of hill stations in northern India and the advent of the plantation economy, along with industrial townships (such as Jamshedpur) transformed trading networks. • Finally, the creation of cantonments and civil lines areas, along with railway stations, in our major cities led to the haphazard growth of urban areas away from bazaars and towards railway terminals. • Transforming the colonial urban centres into neatly organised urban spaces will not be easy due to constraint of resources. • Problems of urban development are visible from sectors such www.amritaias.com | [email protected] | +91 85890 60000 7 as housing, transport, infrastructure and services. Schemes for urban developments 1. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JN- NURM) • JNNURM initiated in December 2005 to improve living condi- tions in urban areas and strengthen urban governance • It helps in attending to some urban development problems. • Due to weak urban planning and implementation, The JN- NURM was not a successful initiative as expected. 2. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AM- RUT) • It ensures that every household has access to a tap with as- sured supply of water and a sewerage connection. • It proposes to increase the amenity value of cities by develop- ing greenery and well maintained open and reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities. • 500 cities will be covered under the Scheme. • All Cities and Towns with a population of over 1 lakh with noti- fied Municipalities, including Cantonment Boards (Civilian ar- eas). • All Capital Cities/Towns of States/ UTs, not covered in above. • All Cities/ Towns classified as Heritage Cities by MoUD under the HRIDAY Scheme. • Thirteen Cities and Towns on the stem of the main rivers with a population above 75,000 and less than 1 lakh. • Ten Cities from hill states, islands and tourist destinations (not more than one from each State). • • This scheme is a new avatar of the (JNNURM). • • Unlike JNNURM, AMRUT will not appraise individual projects and appraise only State Annual Action plans. www.amritaias.com | [email protected] | +91 85890 60000 8 3. Smart cities • The objective is to promote sustainable and inclusive cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent. • Quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environ- ment and application of – Smart Solutions. • The focus is on creating replicable models which are meant to set examples that can be replicated both within and outside the Smart City, catalyzing the creation of similar Smart Cities in various regions and parts of the country. • Core infrastructure elements » Water Supply » Assured electricity supply » Sanitation » Solid waste management » Efficient urban mobility and public transport » Affordable housing, especially for the poor » Robust IT connectivity and digitalization » Good governance, especially e-Governance » Citizen participation » Sustainable environment » Safety and security of citizens, particularly women, chil- dren and the elderly » Health and education 4. National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) • It is focused on holistic development of heritage cities. • Main objective of HRIDAY is to preserve character of the soul of heritage city and facilitate inclusive heritage linked urban development in partnership with State Government. www.amritaias.com | [email protected] | +91 85890 60000 9 • The duration of HRIDAY schemes would be Four Years starting from December 2014. Smart Cities Mission: Implementing at a required pace? • Meanwhile, on the ‘Smart City’ front, while over 90 ‘Smart Cit- ies’ have identified 2,864 projects, India lags on implementa- tion, with about 148 projects completed and over 70% still at various stages